Reunion
by SassyAngel05
Summary: Joan and company attend their ten-year high school reunion. JA LG
1. Default Chapter

Title: Reunion

Author: Sassy

Rating: PG

Pairing: J/A, L/G

Disclaimer: I don't own them.  Barbara Hall owns them.  I'd take Cute Guy God or Adam though, if offered.

Genre: Future Fic

Summary: Joan and company goes to the ten-year reunion at Arcadia High.

AN: Ana really helped me with this one!  It was kind of choppy and she made it so much smoother.  Beta's are wonderful.

**_Reunion_**

**_Chapter One_**

**_Hello, my name is-_**

            Twenty-eight-year-old Joan Girardi applied her lip gloss and ran a brush through her shoulder length brown hair.  Tonight was her ten-year reunion.   She was successful, so there were no worries there.  She'd written several books focusing on a girl named Jane who had a secret; she could talk to God.  Yeah, original for her, but God had told her to use real-life experiences in her writing.  So, she'd written about her years as a teenager talking to God and everybody, critics and readers alike, thought it was a wonderful piece of fiction.  She'd even made it into a series.  No one knew it was based on truth, not even her family.  Luke was home again, for a mini-family reunion as well.  But for the moment, none of that mattered.  All she hoped for at that moment was for Grace Polk and Adam Rove to be at the reunion.  She hadn't seen Adam since she went off to Maryland State.  He'd run off to New York to open an art gallery and had never visited home.  Maybe that was because his father had been killed in a car accident nine years ago.  Grace had gone to George Washington University, and last Joan had heard, she had become a psychologist.  That thought scared her--Grace Polk counseling impressionable children.  But she was still excited.  So she hurried down the stairs to her Mustang, yelling a goodbye to her family.

            Adam Rove was nervous.  He knew Jane would be going to the Arcadia High reunion.  He was excited about seeing Jane again, Grace, too.  They had been his best friends in high school, his only friends, yet he had lost contact with them when he moved to New York.  He knew Joan had written a book series about a girl named Jane.  Was it a dedication to him?  He doubted it.  He'd read the book, been fascinated by the concept she'd used. He kept it with him always as a reminder of times past.  It was a reminder of her. He'd heard Grace was a psycho-person now.  She worked with teenagers, but he wasn't sure exactly what she did.  He hoped she was happy.  Adam combed his hands through his hair, and rushed out to his car.

            Grace Polk tossed her lipstick in her purse.  Yes, she carried a purse now.  She hadn't changed a lot, but she had decided that some of the girly conveniences were just that--conveniences.   She wondered what Joan and Adam were up to.  The three had separated at college and just never gotten back together.  Even more than what Joan and Adam were up to, Grace wondered what Luke was up to.  She hated that she was so curious about Luke.  She had fallen in love with Luke in high school, though she'd moved on.  He was a geek, an annoyance and he'd made her tingle, something that Grace Polk in high school didn't do.  When she'd gone to George Washington, she'd just stopped talking to everyone from Arcadia.  Including Luke.  Unsurprisingly, Luke had gone to MIT after he'd graduated, and she wasn't sure what he'd done since.  She imagined she would find out if the geeks showed up tonight.

            The high school gym was decorated quite horrendously, not that Joan had expected anything less.  Something about high school required terrible decorations.  She smacked her lips and shifted her weight anxiously as she signed in at the large table.  She placed the cheesy HELLO, MY NAME IS JOAN sticker on her shirt and walked on into the gym.  She scanned the gym for any sign of Adam or Grace and saw that neither was there.  She realized, a little belatedly, that those two had been her only friends.  If they didn't come, she would have no one to see tonight.  She hardly even recognized any of the other attendants.  Luke and his geek squad had hung out with her, Grace and Adam as well, but they were all a year younger than she.  She sighed, wondering if the others were going to come.  If they didn't, she would definitely be in for a boring night.  She heard a throat clear behind her and she turned hopefully.  Her face fell the instant she recognized the face.

"Oh.  It's just You."

His warm familiar brown eyes had that glint in them.  He wore the usual tan jacket, though he did wear a button down shirt and a pair of khaki pants as well.  He'd dressed up for the occasion.

"Just Me?  Most people would be ecstatic to see Me.  People have composed songs about it."

"Most people don't have You popping up every other day with some mysterious suggestion to complicate their lives."

"How many times do I have to tell you?  I don't pop.  Besides, I always have suggestions for people.  They don't listen all the time."

"Can I not listen now?"  A small smile had appeared on her face, and he, of course, returned the smile with a knowing smirk.  Joan liked their conversations.  They'd grown on her.  And they both knew it.

"You look bored, Joan.  Unapproachable.  I know that's not what you want."

"Oh, it isn't?  You got me here, didn't You?  What more do You want?"

He grinned self-assuredly. 

"I would like you to be happy.  I've requested you to do many things, Joan.  I've seen you do good for twelve years.  Now all that remains is for you to be happy. You're such a special child.  I came to you because of that fact.  You've caused a lot of happiness across Arcadia and Baltimore.  Now it's your turn to feel the joy."

"I felt the joy when the stories of the insane assignments You sent me a hit on the best-seller list."

"I wish for you to be joyful in something besides your work."

"You're making this sound like my last mission."

"You'll always be on a mission, Joan.  Human nature is always on a mission.  You're twenty-eight, Joan.  You're ready to settle down and start a family."  
"I am?"

He plodded on through.  "I may not 'pop' around as much as I used to, but I'll always be here.  There's still a lot of work to do.  Remember, you're an instrument of Me."

"You know, You've been in my life for twelve years.  I think I might miss You."

"I'll always be with You, Joan.  I always have been.  But you need some time to find unity with others again."

"Thus the reunion?"

"You bought a dictionary."

"Snippy."

A light laugh sounded, and Joan found herself joining in with His laughter.  He winked while taking a few steps back.  He gave her a warm, reassuring smile before His eyes darted to the door.  Joan turned to see what He was looking at.  A more mature Adam Rove stood in the entrance of the gymnasium.  He was different, but still the same comforting space boy.  Joan turned to show God her appreciation, but He'd already disappeared.  She whispered a quiet thanks to Him before starting to the door.


	2. Conversation

**_Reunion_**

**_Chapter Two_**

**_Conversation_**

            Joan never thought she'd be so nervous to talk to Adam Rove.  He was Adam.  But as she approached him apprehensively, she realized how far apart they had drifted.  Still, she could see the old Adam in his eyes.  He may have changed outwardly, but she could see his admiration for her still there and though he seemed to be quite oblivious, his awareness shone in his eyes.  Just seeing him like that made her feel considerably more comfortable, though it didn't wash away her apprehensiveness.

"Hey, Adam."

His heart was thudding against his rib cage.  Joan still had that affect on him.  She looked more mature now, but that was expected.  She smiled at him and Adam realized he'd never stopped loving her-his high school crush.  He'd dated in New York, of course, several really sweet, artistic girls.  None of them ever compared to her, though.  No matter what he did, he compared them to her.  Adam returned Joan's smile, knowing it was time to reply to her greeting.

"Jane.  Hi."

A warm feeling spread over her.  She hadn't been called Jane since the day Adam left.  She'd missed it.  She'd missed him.

"What have you been up to?"  They both asked in unison.  They laughed a little awkwardly, the rift between them showing up suddenly.  Neither responded, seeming to wait for the other to.

"Wow.  You two are just chock full of fun tonight.  We'll be the first ones kicked out."

They turned to the familiar voice, finding Grace standing in front of them, wearing a dress, no less.

"Grace!"

"Girardi.  Rove.  It's been a while."

Joan grinned and rolled her eyes.  It was just easier talking to Grace.  

"That's a bit of an understatement."

The three sighed, all unsure of what to say next.

"Okay, so I'll point out the obvious.  We can sit and not talk just as well as stand and not talk.  And if we sit, at least we'll have drinks and food to busy ourselves with."  Grace commented.  The other two nodded and followed Grace to the table.

            Joan took a long sip of her drink before turning her full attention back on Adam and Grace.  Once they'd sat down, things hadn't seemed nearly so awkward.  Maybe it was because they weren't towering over one another.  They were talking almost like they used to.  Adam had been the first to tell about his life, after much prodding from Joan and reverse psychology from Grace.

"Yeah, my new gallery isn't so new anymore.  It's doing great, though, but it's hard to believe you guys haven't even been there.  I have some regular customers who seem to really like my work.  The angel series is everyone's favorite.  It focuses on a girl in different varieties of celestial forms.

            "I pretty much only work on my art.  I guess things haven't changed much compared to high school, except I don't see you two anymore.  I have a roommate, though, because rent in New York is ridiculously overpriced."

Joan grinned and turned to Grace.

"Your turn, Dr. Grace Polanski."

"It's Polk, Girardi.  Don't push your luck.  It almost changed to Wilson, too."

Joan raised an eyebrow and Adam leaned forward, both trying to picture Grace married.

"I'll get to that in a second.  You know I'm a psychologist.  I work in the DC school district and help DHS.  I met a social worker in graduate school, during my internship.  We dated for three years and I…"

Grace blushed, but her eyes were light.  She smiled slyly and continued, "I got pregnant.  Wilson and I got engaged, but I couldn't go through with it.

            "I do have a beautiful little girl, though, Coral."

Joan watched Grace closely.  She looked happy even though she did seem like she was missing something.

"Coral is four."  

Grace pulled out a picture from her purse and at that moment, Joan realized how different Grace was.  She was a mom, a doctor; she was no longer the fight-the-system-at-all-costs girl from before.  It wasn't a bad change.  Neither Grace was bad in Joan's opinion.  Joan shook her head and leaned over to look at the picture Grace had produced, exclaiming how adorable Coral was.  Grace nodded in maternal agreement, before putting the picture away, wondering if she'd become a soccer mom.

"What about you, Girardi?"

"I've been writing a lot, since I graduated.  I've been writing the Heaven Sent series.  A girl named Jane is sent on missions from God, who comes down to talk to her in different forms."

"That's crazy. Where'd you come up with something like that?"

Joan shrugged nonchalantly and smiled.

Adam cut in, "I was wanting to ask you about that.  Jane is the character, and I could see you in her."

"You read my books?"  Joan looked pleased.

"Unchallenged.  I saw the name and grabbed the book immediately.  Did you model Jane after yourself?"

"Yes, I modeled her after me just as I modeled her friends after you guys."

"So it's you without the whole talking to God part."

Joan smiled once again with no reply.  Better to let them think what they wanted to.

Grace bit her lip, unsure of how to approach the topic of Luke.  She didn't want to bring it up blatantly.  She wouldn't be obvious.  She'd rather be curious than obvious.  She skidded the subject, bringing it up in a casual way.

"So, you're brothers.  They ever get married or anything?"

"Yeah, one of 'em did."

Grace's heart fell and she hadn't even known she'd been hoping to see Luke again.  

"Kevin married Rebecca last year.  Luke's still a loser, science geek to eternity.  He wanted me to bring him tonight, but honestly, bring my brother as my date.  Ew."

Grace suppressed a smile, from both Joan's comment and the knowledge that Luke was alone.  Grace shifted in her seat, something that didn't go unnoticed by Joan or Adam.

"Luke is actually at home right now.  Mom wanted the family to get together again.  I'm sure she'd love to see both of you again."

"I'd love to see your Mom, too, yo."

Suddenly, a cell phone went off.  Grace pulled out her purse.

"Grace Polk, you carry a cell phone?"

"Since I had Coral."  Grace pulled it out.

"Hey, Sweet Girl.  Yes, Mommy's still at her school.  I'll come home soon, I promise.  What happened?  Oh, Coral…"  Grace groaned.  

"I'll be there in a second."  Grace hung up.   "Four-year-olds should not be allowed near paint."

Joan laughed lightly.  "What happened?"

"She spilled it all over herself and the wall.  The baby-sitter is freaking out.  Apparently Arcadia baby-sitters can't handle city girls.  Girardi, I'll go over to your house after I'm finished cleaning Coral up.  I'll meet you both there, okay?"

"All right.  Bring Coral.  I want to meet her."

Grace stood and the three fell silent.  They realized how far they'd drifted apart and how disappointing that was.  Each person had missed their best friends.  They'd survived high school together; they'd survived growing up together.  And then they'd just stopped talking.  But no more.  They would keep in contact again.

"See you soon."

Grace left the situation as quickly as possible.  Adam glanced over at Joan, his eyes showing hope in them.  Joan was biting her lip, looking a little nervous.  
"So…"

"So…"

hr


	3. And the Fun Begins

A.N.  Ana did an awesome job beta-ing me again!  Sometimes things make sense in my head, so I think they should make sense to everyone else and Ana always seems to be able to help me clarify it!  Thank you, girlie!  She's even the one responsible for this little plot bunny.

**_Reunion _**

**_Chapter Three_**

**_And the Fun Begins_**

            Adam took a long sip of his drink before he looked back at Joan.  The two hadn't continued the conversation, just simply sat in companionable silence.  Adam liked watching Joan; he always had.  She had the most interesting quirks, at least to him.  When she was concentrating, her lip curled up slightly.  When she tilted her head, a small piece of hair would always fall in her eye.  Her eyes seemed to always be searching for something or someone.  Of course, he could list off dozens of idiosyncrasies he loved and had never forgotten but at the moment, he just wanted to be there with her.

            Joan had been studying Adam.  He seemed happy.  He loved New York, she could tell.  Contentment simply emanated from him.  He was doing what he loved and she understood the peace that was brought when a person could love their job.  She allowed herself to briefly think about what it would be like to live in New York.  Her publisher lived there.  Writing could be done anywhere, very easily, as long as she had a computer.  She could move to New York.  Joan felt her heart stop suddenly as she understood she was jumping ahead of herself.  Adam may not even want to keep in contact after the reunion.

"I've missed you, Jane."

Adam grinned at her and Joan's heart began to beat again.

"I've missed you, too."

"Promise me we won't lose each other again.  I don't really have anyone anymore."

Joan felt a wave of sympathy for Adam and a crash of guilt for being such a horrible friend.  He was virtually alone and she'd allowed that to happen.  She had known Mr. Rove had died and she hadn't even bothered to go to his funeral.  She'd been so wrapped up in her own life she'd let her relationships and responsibility dwindle down.

"Oh, Adam, I'm so sorry.  I've been such a terrible friend.  I mean, we're talking colossally-terrible-I-deserve-to-be-punished kind of friend."

"Jane, it's okay.  We've all been bad friends.  It's not just you.  We grew up."

"Without each other?  We were like the three musketeers or something.  We fought high school together."

"We're together again, now."

"Will we stay that way?"

"If you want it to.  I know I do."

Joan nodded slowly and swallowed back the tears she wanted to let go.

"Why did you and I never 'couple'?" Adam asked shyly.

"There always seemed to be someone else who made you happy.  I guess it was just never the right time."

Suddenly, they were sixteen, vulnerable, and madly in love again.  Adam couldn't breathe; his chest was so heavy.  He was nervous and unsure and he knew he had to ask it then.  If he didn't, he'd lose his chance.

"Is it ever going to be the right time, Jane?"

"I think now is." Joan whispered it, a note of reflection in her voice.  Adam leaned across the table and kissed her gently.  

Joan finally pulled away, smiling, "All we need are some feathers."  
"I'll see what I can do."

Joan allowed a delighted laugh to escape her lips as she realized what had happened.

"Let's go home, Adam."

"I do want to see Mrs. Helen again."

Joan took her purse off the table and offered her hand.  Adam took it and they walked on out of the gymnasium.  

            Grace held onto Coral's hand, feeling a nervousness she hadn't felt since she'd found out she was pregnant.  Coral was fidgeting next to her, excited at the prospect of going to a new place and meeting new people. 

"This is a big house, Mommy."  
"Yes, it is."

"It's a lot bigger than ours."

"That's because we live in an apartment."

" 's still bigger.  Why are we going here?"  
"You know how I went to a reunion tonight?"  
"Yep!"  
"Well, my best friend lives here. Joan and Adam are coming over here after the reunion's over.  She wanted to meet you."  
"Someone wanted to meet me?"  
"Yes.  And this is her house."  
"Who will answer the door if she's at the union?"  
Grace smiled at the word Coral used.  "Well, her brother's here."  
"Is it the boy from that picture?"  Coral asked, referring to the picture that was on the side table at their apartment.  It was a photograph of the four of them that Mrs. Girardi has taken, Grace in the center, with Joan and Luke's arms around her neck and Adam leaning over all of them.  She'd had it framed and even though she never talked to the three; she'd kept it out and told Coral about each of them.  
Grace nodded.  "Yes.  He's here."

Coral released Grace's hand and ran up the porch steps.  

"Coral!"  Coral ignored her mother's call and rang the doorbell.  And before Grace knew it, Luke was answering the door.

            "Grace?"  Luke said quietly, after looking past the charming little girl on his door stoop.  The surprise was evident on his face, as if he didn't think Joan would bring her friends back to the house after the reunion.

"Hi, Luke.  Joan wanted us to meet her here for an after-reunion celebration."

"Okay."  Luke glanced down.  "And who's this?"

Grace ascended the stairs and wrapped her arms around Coral's shoulders.

"This is my daughter, Coral." 

"I hadn't realized you'd gotten married."

Luke seemed disappointed almost, which made Grace feel a little more confident.  Or at least gave her a little satisfaction, as horrible as that sounded.  Maybe Luke hadn't moved on at all.  She could still remember Luke, being a puppy dog for her, and she remembered how foreign that had been to her.  She hadn't known how to react, how to learn what exactly it was she'd been feeling.  She'd ended up becoming a psychologist to help others learn how to deal with what she hadn't been able to when she was their age.

"Uh, no, actually, I'm not.  It's just me and Coral."

"Pretty name."

Coral beamed and tugged on the hem of Luke's shirt.

"Thank you very much.  Did you know I'm four years old?  How old are you, Mr. Luke?"  
"How did you know my name, Miss Coral?"

"You're in the picture in the frame by our couch.  Mommy tells me about you all the time.  Now you didn't answer my question!"

"I'm 27."

"That's not much older than Mommy, right?"  
"Actually, you're Mommy is a year older than me."

"Oh.  I can only count to twenty right now."

"Smart girl."

That caused Coral to giggle.  She liked this man in glasses.  He looked funny, but he was nice.

She held out her hand to Luke.

"You didn't invite us in, you silly goose!"

Luke couldn't stop from smiling at the little girl.  She was irresistible.  He gave her his hand and allowed her to enter the house.  Grace followed them in.

"Sorry about that.  Coral and I are still working on manners."  
"You never used them."

Grace shrugged and walked on into the living room.

            Helen was delighted to see Grace and to meet her daughter.  Coral methodically won over the hearts of each Girardi that had remained behind.  Helen had pulled out a photo album that covered the high school years of Joan and Luke, including pictures of a teenage Grace.  Helen told Coral stories of her mother's teenage years, causing Grace to shrug and shift uncomfortably.  Helen even told the story of Grace and Luke going to the Crystal Ball and kissing.  Of course, Helen left out the part of it being a political statement.  Coral giggled and looked at Luke, "Mommy still loves you!  She did when she was little and she does now."

Luke raised his eyebrows.  "No, Grace doesn't love me, Coral.  We were young then.  And she didn't love me, then, either."

Coral shook her head stubbornly, a sign that she was her mother's daughter.

"No.  She talks about you sometimes.  And she always changes her voice when she talks about you, Mr. Luke."

Luke glanced over at Grace, not wanting to get his hopes up, but when he saw Grace's face, far from impassive, nearing embarrassed, he knew.  

"She does, does she?"

Coral nodded, hoping that Luke believed her.  She wanted her Mommy to be happy.  

"You want to know a secret?"

Coral leaned forward, excited at the thought of learning privileged information.

Luke said in a stage whisper, "I still love your mommy, too."

Coral giggled and turned immediately to stare at her mother's reaction.  

Grace was smiling, suddenly, something she only did for Coral.  Grace scooted across the couch, and leaned over Coral, kissing Luke quickly.  Of course, she wanted the kiss to last longer, but she was kissing a man in front of her daughter.  Luke couldn't think straight.  He didn't know what it meant, but Grace loved him.  That's what he'd always wanted, even when he was a teenager.  He'd never gotten over her and they'd never been together.  But apparently, they would be now  The door slammed, breaking them from their quiet world as a sudden shout came from the doorway.    
"What did we miss?"

            Joan and Adam stood there, holding hands and the Girardi's worlds were all right.  Joan had found Adam again and Luke had found Grace.  Grace grinned, a thing that had changed since high school.

"My daughter decided her real name was Cupid and set me and Luke up."

"Smart girl."  Joan stated.

"I'd suggest she work on you two, but it looks like someone already took care of it."

Joan beamed and squeezed Adam's hand.  

"Yeah.  I'm moving to New York.  I can write anywhere and I'd rather write with him near."

Grace shrugged, "We don't know what we're doing, but I'm happy you guys figured everything out."

Joan nodded as she stepped forward and knelt in front of a beautiful girl.

"I'm Joan."  
"I'm Coral."

The two eyed each other before Coral rushed forward and hugged Joan.

" 'm happy I'm meetin' you.  Mommy talks about you guys a lot."

Joan ruffled her hair.  "I'm glad to meet you. You're nothing like Grace."  
Grace glared at her friend but Coral took it all in stride.  She was excited to finally meet people from her Mommy's life.  Her mommy always kept things secret from her, but not anymore.  Joan and Adam sat on the floor, in front of Luke, Grace, and Coral as they popped in a movie.  Coral was asleep in no time and soon, the others fell asleep feeling happy and complete for the first time in ten years.

THE END!


End file.
